Strawberries with Leeks
by AcidicLemons
Summary: Ichigo is another year older. Perhaps another year wiser? IchixHime fic! D: That's right. Slight dang fluff.


**Strawberry & Leek Parfait**

A **ridiculous** Bleach 'fic by AcidicLemons (Missa).

I rate this 'fic: **Semi-Mature** for…semi-mature minds. D: (slight language)

**Disclaimer**: Kubo-kun & I are part of the secret Toriyama mafia. We, in fact, work together. Therefore, what's mine is his, and what's his, is mine. BWAHAHA. No…not really. -sadness-

Kubo-kun is the creator of the series Bleach, therefore he owns it. Shoot.

And I make no profit from this.

**Summary**: Ichigo is another year older. Perhaps another year wiser?

**Author's Note**: This is not my first 'fic. However, it may definitely seem like it. Reader is warned.

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Ichigo Kurosaki just had his sixteenth birthday. And all he had to say, was that he was very fortunate to be living it.

Considering all that had gone on during his fifteenth year of life.

It was quite bizarre--and it all started with meeting some dead chick that didn't think he could see her.

Anyway, the point being, he was alive and kicking.

And being dragged to his own "surprise" party.

"You'll love it!" Yuzu was adamant about his attendance.

"You'll get chocolate cake," Karin added, just for a little more bribery.

The chocolate cake sealed the deal for him.

Ichigo looked around the family room, and it was decorated, with balloons and stuff like that. Streamers were strung everywhere, carelessly.

It was pretty ugly, but he shrugged it off. He didn't want to hurt his sisters' feelings.

"Great…job," he mustered.

"Thanks," Karin said with a smile. "I decorated it myself."

"Well that explains it," Ichigo muttered.

"What did you say?"

"I baked the cake!" Yuzu said happily. "We're waiting for Dad to--"

"ICHIGOOOOOO--"

Couldn't have spoken any sooner.

Isshin came flying out of the kitchen, his booming voice startling the girls, but annoying his son.

"ICHIGOOOOO--"

"I heard you the first time!" Ichigo snapped.

"Let's sing happy birthday for your brother!" Isshin said merrily.

"Happee birthday to yewwww" Yuzu began.

Ichigo stood there, his frown never fading. Perhaps they were used to it by now. Maybe it didn't faze them.

As much as he cared about his family, he didn't imagine spending his birthday at home.

He wanted to go elsewhere; just sit somewhere. To think.

Think about certain things that always crept into his mind.

He was growing up, no doubt about that.

And there was just…thoughts. That he knew he should push away, but at the same time, he knew they were normal for him.

At least, the guys at school were more open about talking about their "thoughts."

Yuzu finished up her song, and Karin lit the candles of the perfect cake.

Ichigo was told to make a wish, and then blow them out.

And he did.

He wished for…

…a better year. A more kinder year. For himself.

No pain, no hurt.

Just a normal life.

With normal things.

He wanted to be truly happy.

And afterward, Isshin knocked him on the back pretty hard.

"…fuck Dad," he mumbled.

It's not that he ever hated his life.

Well, at certain times he felt like he did. Whenever he thought of the day his Mom died…

But that was different.

That was…so long ago. It became a numb feeling now. One of those things you just couldn't cry about anymore; you just had to suck it up and be a man about it.

Ichigo left his party a little early, throwing on a ratted hoodie and walking out the door, taking a stroll in his neighborhood.

Today he was in an ultra…weird mood.

He couldn't explain it.

Was he happy? Sad?

His eyes seemed not to focus on anything in particular ahead of him. He knew his way around here like the back of his hand.

Tatsuki's house…

Orihime's house…

_Orihime's house._

He paused and looked up at the apartment complex while chewing on his inner lip. He's never visited Orihime before, and barely seen her outside of school.

He's heard countless people talk about how much Orihime "crushed" on him. He never paid it any mind. She never actually said so herself, anyway.

The guys would nudge him often over it.

Was it that obvious?

Did he just…block out all perception of human emotion?

Still, nothing was official 'til Orihime actually said anything.

There was nothing wrong with the girl, she was just very…out there.

He shook his head and smirked to himself, turning back his attention to the sideway.

Only to be practically scared shitless by almost walking into a curious-faced Inoue-san.

"Orihime?" Ichigo spat.

"Ichigo!" Orihime's eyes went from surprised to happy. "What are you doing here?"

"I…uh." He stared blankly at her face. She always managed to smile, all the time. Her cheeks were always slightly flushed, but she pretended like it didn't faze her.

"Are you okay?" Her face immediately switched to concern, her eyes becoming serious. "Do you need something?"

"Ahh…no, no. Orihime. I'm just takin' a walk. Ya Know?" Ichigo scratched the back of his neck, which he felt grow warmer.

"Happy birthday, Ichigo!" Orihime smiled. "I didn't forget. Did you think I did? Well, I didn't. I went to the market, and picked up a few things for your cake." She picked things out of the brown paper bag for him to see. Orihime pulled out seemingly normal ingredients--eggs, milk, cake mix, and such. "I looked up a recipe for a chocolate cake! I know you like chocolate, so…I wanted to make you something. To show you I didn't forget."

Ichigo's brow furrowed in thought. That was thoughtful of her. She didn't even pick up her normal supply of leeks, or other weird ingredients she often mixed together in odd ways.

He didn't want to tell her that he already had cake earlier.

"Wow…Orihime," was all he could muster. "Uh…you want help with that?"

"Oh, yes! I guess it doesn't matter, because you've seen me and the stuff in the bag. Tatsuki was supposed to help, but she had a karate competition to attend, and I said that I would make it myself and surprise you later with it. But I would enjoy your company, don't get me wrong, Ichigo!"

"…yeah." Ichigo shook his head and tried not to let a smile loose. "Come on, it's kind of cold out here. Why aren't you wearing a jacket?"

"Oh! Um…I don't know." She wore a sheepish smile, following Ichigo. "I guess I was so excited, I rushed outside of the house."

"Don't do that again." Ichigo watched her unlock the door and walk in, and he followed her in.

"I won't, Ichigo." She set the bag down on the kitchen's breakfast bar, and tied her hair up.

This innocent act displayed her long, slender neck.

Ichigo now scratched the side of his face in nervousness.

"Orihime--" He decided that he would take this time to talk to her about what's been circling his mind lately. "Let's talk about something."

"Talk about what?" She turned her attention to him, while pulling things from the bag. "Is it bad?"

"No. It's actually not. Uh…so a lot of people talk, and that's what people do."

"Of course."

"So…people talk. About…you know. Us."

"Us?"

"…us." He grabbed the eggs before she could make a hazard of them, and put them on the counter. "Not that I go for rumors or anything, it's jus' that I like to be well informed."

"Well informed about what, Ichigo?" Orihime had the blankest stare imaginable. "I'm a little lost…"

"…" He took a Coke out of the fridge and popped it open, taking a sip, then offering her one. "Everyone at school likes to think you're into me. Which I find…weird. Ya know? It's not you. Ya know, rumors and stuff. That you…" He nodded generally. "That you like me."

"Like you?" Orihime said pleasantly, happy to be taking a sip after Ichigo.

"Yeah." He eyed her silently to see what her reaction to his statement would be. Orihime's face was bright, and her cheeks a little red.

"I've always liked you, Ichigo," Orihime replied, a little confused.

"Never mind," Ichigo chuckled. "Let's get started on this cake, huh?" He looked at the box of cake mix and read the instructions to himself.

"Do you mean _love you_?" Orihime asked quietly.

"…well no." Ichigo didn't quite want to put it that way. Love was a strong word, and though he cared very deeply about Orihime on a friendly level, the "love" word posed serious consequences, if said.

"Well, I do," she said quite frankly. "I do love you, Ichigo. I always will. It's one of those things that I can say, because you're the bestest friend I've ever had."

"Bestest?" he grinned.

"Yep!" Orihime giggled. "I heard that word from the girls earlier!"

Ichigo shook his head with the grin still lining his lips. Okay, so love can be applied to friendships.

But it can be easily confused when you have platonic friendships such as this.

"I…love you, too," Ichigo replied a few moments after, and didn't regret his reply as much as he thought he would.

"I'm glad, she answered simply. "Because…regardless of how you feel about me, I will always feel the same for you." She picked up an egg to study quite carefully. She never had such an intimate chat with Ichigo, and now that she was having it, it seemed a little awkward.

"Oh yeah? So even if I hated you, you'd still love me?"

"You hate me?" she squeaked.

"No, no, no." He grinned. "Just…hypothetically speaking."

"Oh! Then…yes. I probably would. I still loved you, even though it seemed like you liked Rukia a lot more."

Ichigo looked up at her, his eyes focusing on her. "I never _liked _Rukia. Like that. We were jus' close friends."

"Oh? So now, are we talking about friendship love, or the other kind of love?" Orihime met his eyes with a focused stare.

"…I don't know." His eyebrows twitched, a distraction for what he really wanted to do. He wanted to kiss those worry lines off of her forehead, but he had to take his sometimes forced demeanor of his typical "don't-care" attitude.

"I'm confused…" Orihime looked away, bringing out a mixing bowl and a plastic spoon. "This is weird, Ichigo. I'm happy to talk to you, but somehow this conversation isn't what I expected."

Ichigo made no doubts. Orihime was not dumb. Spaced out, yes, but not unintelligent. She knew about things, and she more than likely knew that the kids at school often made comments regarding their "relationship."

"Right." He stepped closer, leaning over just enough to get the measuring cup on the other side of Inoue-san.

She took in the breeze of his light cologne, something she never noticed that he wore.

Maybe that was only because she had never been as close to him as this before.

"What scent is that?" she asked softly.

That's all she had to say.

That's all she had to muster before Ichigo leaned down to kiss her.

Softly on the cheek.

Orihime's face was red, with curiosity, with wonder, with slight embarrassment.

"Ichigo..?"

"It's…something. Hell, I don't know," he grinned.

"I don't think either of us is thinking about the good smelly scent anymore," she said rather seriously.

"'Good smelly scent'?" Ichigo shook his head with wonder, and kissed her again, this time on her lips. Ah, sweet and innocent Inoue. What's gotten into him, he wondered to himself, but once he actually kissed her, he thought a different story.

Her lips were very soft, and she kissed him back with such planned reaction. She gently nibbled at his lips, which made him want her even more.

A good reaction.

"…good smelly scent," she repeated with a smile to cover his lips.

"…you're something else." Ichigo pulled away just a little. "I don't know what's gotten into me. I didn't mean to…kiss you like that."

"It's alright, Ichigo." Orihime smiled softly. "It's kind of what I always wanted."

"Is that so?" Ichigo smiled, but only a little, before he opened the box to the cake mix and pulled out the package.

So it wasn't so bad.

His new year of life was off to a good start.

* * *

**Author's Notes (End)**: Hope you liked it! Was it the best? Not exactly. But I thought it was cute. Sort of fluff? Gag. I meant to make this a lemon, but…I wasn't in a lemony mood. So I hope you enjoyed! Review and stuff, and I'll have a better (longer) Bleach 'fic soon.


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